Adventures in Sewing: Picnic Placemats

Some time sewing recently produced this gem of a project.  Picnic placemats with a cutlery and napkin-holding pouch. They are placemats that you can roll up and put in your picnic basket, sure to add a touch of awesome to your picnic.  I know picnic season is winding down in most of the country, but here in the desert, it's about to start next month and last until next summer.  I made this set for my daughter in Michigan, but I think I'm going to have to make another just for me. 

I can't express how easy this is!  It's a few straight stitches and some top-stitching.  It was also a super-cheap project because I got the fabric on clearance.  You could also recycle old sheets, napkins or tablecloths and skip the fabric store all together.   These took so little time that I forgot to take how-to pictures... sorry.  But here's the gist of it.  Cut 4 rectangles (the size of placemat you want + seam allowance, I did 22"x 16") out of a double-thickness of fabric (making 8 total). Cut 4 smaller rectangles (about 7"x 4") and 4 (about 2"x 4") strips.

Placemats:
 Pin two rectangles (right sides together) and stitch all sides, leaving a 6" gap. Trim corners, turn right-side-out and top-stitch all the way around the edge. Repeat for remaing placemats.

Pockets:
On top edge of 7x4 pieces, make a 1/4" double-fold hem, topstitch.  Press 2x4 strips in half (wrong sides together) lengthwise, open and press edges to the center, fold in half and stitch open edge closed.  Place strip 2"-3" from top hem of pocket, baste.  Press the sides and bottom (and attached strip) 1/2" to the wrong side.  Position onto placemat about an inch from the side and bottom.  Topstitch around bottom and side edges of pocket, leaving the top hemmed edge open.  Repeat for remaining placemats.

And VOILA!  Picnic placemats!  :)    

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